An American nuclear submarine encounters an alien species which coincidentally causes massive electrical and hydraulic malfunctions causing the sub to crash into an underwater cliff and sink. The navy asks the workers of a nearby underwater oil rig who are joined by a number of navy SEALS to locate and investigate the cause of the crash. As the crew embark on their mission they encounter a number of difficulties and discover that they may not be alone. There is something else down there.
Review
Towards the end of the Cold War the USS Montana a nuclear submarine runs straight into an underwater cliff after an encounter with what they believe was a new beyond stateoftheart Russian submersible. The Navy dispatches a SEAL team (lead by Michael Biehn) to record and survey the situation and to find some answers. The commission a nearby (or is it hijack) deep sea oil drilling platform run by the estranged Brigmans Bud and Linsey (Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio). During their mission things arent quite as they seem as they discover that they are not alone deep in "The Abyss". On the verge of war topside and below with themselves the SEAL and workers struggle to come to terms with an unbelievable situation that could lead them to a nuclear confrontation.
"The Abyss" is a richly constructed story that puts well thought up and executed characters into a situation that looks to be a schmaltzy love story set under the sea. The aliens or NTIs pretty much take a backseat to the human element and our old conflicting ways these NTIs are nonviolent and they want to teach us the error of our ways and they mean business (especially in the Special Edition cut). The whole cast does a wonderful job and most of the leads give Oscarcaliber performances. Harris and Mastrantonio do it so well you think their actually married. James Cameron establishes his love for the ocean in "The Abyss" will fully succeeds on all the technical levels. The production design is amazing with the fullsize Deep Core set that was submerged at the bottom of an unused nuclear reactor building. Cameron shows his affinity for technology as the "pseudo pod "soon championed in the new wave of computer generated imagery. Highly recommended.